Edible Oil Imports Exceed 103 Lakh Tonnes in Eight Months
14-Jul-2026 05:40 PM
Mumbai: Edible oil imports are likely to reach a new record high during the current 2025-26 marketing season (November-October). Although imports dropped significantly in June, a substantial increase was recorded during the first eight months of the season.
According to data compiled by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA), total edible oil imports rose to approximately 103.88 lakh tonnes during the eight-month period from November 2025 to June 2026, significantly higher than the 97.29 lakh tonnes imported during the corresponding period of the 2024-25 marketing season.
During the season under review, while edible oil imports fell from 16.14 lakh tonnes to 12.05 lakh tonnes in November and dropped from 15.98 lakh tonnes to 11.12 lakh tonnes in June, they increased in other months: rising from 12.30 lakh tonnes to 14.10 lakh tonnes in December; surging from 10.78 lakh tonnes to 13.73 lakh tonnes in January; jumping from 9.64 lakh tonnes to 13.47 lakh tonnes in February; increasing from 10.45 lakh tonnes to 12.36 lakh tonnes in March; surging from 9.46 lakh tonnes to 13.67 lakh tonnes in April; and rising from 12.55 lakh tonnes to 13.39 lakh tonnes in May.
However, during these eight months, imports of refined edible oil (primarily RBD Palmolein) plummeted from 15 lakh tonnes to 3.69 lakh tonnes, whereas imports of crude edible oils surged from 82.29 lakh tonnes to 100.19 lakh tonnes. As a result, the share of refined oil in total edible oil imports dropped from 15 percent to 4 percent, while the share of crude edible oils rose to 85 percent. These figures do not include oil imported from Nepal.
Comparing the 2025-26 season with the 2024-25 season, imports of crude and refined palm-based edible oils surged from 4.294 million tonnes to 5.012 million tonnes during the first eight months (November–June), whereas imports of soft oils declined slightly from 5.435 million tonnes to 5.376 million tonnes.
Within the soft oil category, soybean oil imports fell from 3.495 million tonnes to 3.274 million tonnes; however, sunflower oil imports rose from 1.937 million tonnes to 2.094 million tonnes, and rapeseed oil imports jumped from 3,550 tonnes to 8,081 tonnes.